Planters moot slash in hill tea bonus

TT, Darjeeling, Sept. 18: The Darjeeling Tea Association has said bonus this year will be less than last time and it will be paid in instalments on some estates.

The association, however, did not mention the rate or the number of instalments.

The tea unions have rejected both the decisions.

Since 2011, Darjeeling tea garden workers have been getting bonus at 20 per cent - the highest rate according to the Plantation Labour Act, 1951 - as a one-time payment. The percentage is calculated on the annual earning of a worker.

Today, Sandeep Mukherjee, principal advisor to the DTA, who held a meeting with the unions, said: "The bonus percentage would be less than last year and that too would be (given in) instalments in some gardens which are financially weak. We also want the gradation system to be (re)introduced while paying bonus."

Of the 87 hill gardens, 64 are with DTA and the rest are with Indian Tea Association. Before 2011, gardens were graded as A, B, C and D, according to their financial condition, while disbursing bonus.

Mukherjee said while the average price realisation of Darjeeling tea was Rs 371.82 per kg in 2012-13, the average rate was Rs 318.20 a kg in 2013-14 and Rs 292.62 a kg in 2014-15.

Asked about the average production cost, he said: "It will not be less than Rs 300 per kilogram."

P.T. Sherpa, president of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha-backed Darjeeling Terai Dooars Plantation Labour Union said: "We will not accept any slash in last year's figure."

Usually, bonus is paid two Sundays before Durga Puja.

J.B. Tamang, president of Trinamul's Darjeeling Zilla Tea Employees' and Workers' Union said: "We will not accept bonus less than 20 per cent or gradation of gardens."